Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California
I have a relative who passed away, leaving behind two children (both are young adults). My relative's husband (not the childrens' father) never provided a copy of her will to her children and may be withholding part of the inheritance from them. I have spoken to the attorney, who originally set up the will for her and she claims that her hard drive crashed and that she doesn't have a copy any longer. I have also checked with the Superior Court, but apparently a copy was never filed there.
What can I do to get a copy of the will for her children? Is there any recourse against the attorney for losing an important document like that? I find it strange that it is just "lost."
Thanks a lot for any support you can provide!
3 Answers from Attorneys
What a lame BS excuse. I would sue the attorney for negligence for failing to use ordinary care to back up her data. But first I would subpoena the hard drive or offer to have the hard drive examined by a professional data recovery service.
You have a rather tricky problem there, but not an insurmountable one. Has anyone opened a probate case yet? That would be the place to start. The court can then order the will produced if there is evidence that one existed and who has it.
I would first check to see if a probate has been opened. If so, a copy of the will should have been lodged with the Court. Next you should file a request for special notice in that matter and, if appropriate, you can petition the Court for appropriate relief. Be sure to take note, of course, of any no-contest provisions. If no probate has been opened the children can petition the Court to be appointed executors. Although the problems are not insurmountable, the remidies can get a bit tricky. It would be best if the children hired an attorney.
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